Lap-forming mechanism.



U. EL. T. SGRIBNER. LAP FORMING MEGHANISM.

APPLIOATIGN FILED NOV. 7, 1908.

Patented 0011.26, 1909, s SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Znesses:

@Mg WLM @om y C Md* G, E., T. SGRIBNER.

LAP FORMING MEGHANISM.

.APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7, 1908.

3&437 Patented 001;. 26,1909.

a" SHEETS-SHHET z.

@95k @9&0 772 ey* C. E. T. SGRIBNER. LAP FORMING MEGHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED Nov. 7, 1908.

Patented 0615.26, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

o) y. LQ

o D YW 13 gg y gam?? @WMM C/Qvfarneg/ m w .ZZ M

ANDREW. s. ummm cu.. Pnc'rcmwusurusns. WASHINGTON. D c.

VUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. T. SCRIBNER, OF NORTH ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THEJAMES HUNTER MACHINE COMPANY, OE NORTH ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS, A COR-PORATION OE MASSACHUSETTS.

LAP-FORMING MECHANISM.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. T. SGRIB- Nna, a citizen of t-he UnitedStates, residing at North Adams, in the county of Berkshire, State ofMassachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inLap- Forming Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention has relation to mechanisms of the class employed fordepositing a fleece of fibers from a liber-preparing machine in layersupon a suitable receiver, in practice aprons or lattices, the first ofwhich receives the fleece from the said delivery-device and delivers itto the second,'which delivers it to the receiver. rlhe latter apron istraversed so as to distribute the fleece upon the receiver. The apronfirst mentioned, it being intermediate the delivery device aforesaid andthe distributing apron, is what I term a compensating apron. Itsfunctions are to support the portion of fleece between thedelivery-device and the distributing-apron, act as a take-up to preventthe occurrence of slack during the distributing movement in onedirection, and pay out the fleece to prevent strain from comingthereupon during the distributing movement in the other direction.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings, in whichlatter,-

Figure 1 shows in side elevation the doffer-cylinder of afiber-preparing machine, and certain of the adjacent parts. Fig. 2 showsin side elevation the main portions of the lap-forming mechanism, theportions atl the opposite ends thereof being broken away. Fig. 3 showsin side elevation the left-hand portion of the lap-forming mechanism.Fig. 4 shown in plan the main por- Specfication of Letters Patent.

Application led November 7, 1908.

Patented oet. 2e, 1909.

Serial No. 461,482.

tions of the said mechanism. 'Figy 5 is a view in vertical section inthe plane indicated by dotted line 5, 5, in Fig. t.

In the drawings,-the fleece 1 which is represented as operated upon isshown as supplied by a fiber-preparing machine which in this instancemay be assumed to be a Garnet-t machine, the doffer-cylinder of the saidmachine being shown at 2, and at 8 being indicated the doifer-knife orstripping-comb by which the fleece is vstripped from the surface of thesaid cylinder. In practice, the invention may be employed in connectionwith any suitable fleece-producing machine.

At 4t is an endless apron or lattice, upon the upper surface of whichthe fleece is received from the dolfer-cylinder. This apron or latticeis supported and guided by rolls 5, 6, 7, 8, 8, and is intended to havecontinuous traveling movement communicated thereto, at the same surfacespeed as the dofer, byfmeans of a band-pulley 9 which is fast upon theshaft of the supporting-roll 7, and a driving-band 10 passing around thesaid band-pulley, the said driving-band also passing arounda'band-pulley (not shown) on an ,overhead line-shaft (not shown). By thesaid traveling movement the lieece is conveyed to a suitable point fordelivery to t-he lap-forming mechanism. Apron or lattice t is termedordinarily a running-out apron. The rolls 6, 7, 8, 8, aforesaid, aremounted upon a horizontally arranged framework 11 that extends over thelapforming mechanism, and, for convenience in setting the roll 7, suchroll is mounted in stands, one of which is shown at 12, which areadjustable horizontally upon the said framework, in the direction of thelength of the latter. Each stand 12 fits between upper and lower guides13, 13, with which the framework is provided, and is held in place bymeans of a screw 14, the stem of which The intermediate or compensatingapron to which the fleece is delivered by the delivery-device hereconstituted by the apron 4, as the latter apron makes its turn aroundthe roll 7, is shown at 19, it being located below the delivery-portionof apron 4. The distributing apron to which the fleece is delivered bythe said intermediate or compensating apron is shown at 20, it beinglocated below the said compensating apron 19.

At 21 is shown a receiver to which the fleece is delivered by thedistributing apron, and upon which by the traversing movements of suchapron the fleece is distributed in layers, building up the thickness ofthe required lap, the said receiver being located below the distributingapron. Aprons 19 and 20, respectively, extend in the same direction asthe delivery-apron 4. The receiver 2l is constituted, in this instance,of an endless traveling apron or lattice which extends transverselybeneath the distributing a ron, and by the movement whereof thethickness of fleece laid and accumulated thereon in the form of a lap iscarried transversely for delivery to a winding mechanism, or othermechanism for disposing thereof, or in certain cases to mechanism forfeeding the same to another preparing machine to be further operatedupon therein.

The compensating apron 19 is supported by rolls 22, 22, which aremounted upon a carriage 23. The said carriage is furnished at itsopposite sides with trucks or rolls 24, 24, resting upon fixedsupporting-rails, one of which is shown at 25, along which rails theIsaid carriage is capable of reciprocating lengthwise of the mechanism.The distributing apron 20 is mounted upon .rolls 26, 26, on a carriage27. The latter is supported at one end thereof by a truck or roll 28 ateach side, carried by such end and resting upon fixed supporting-rails,one of which is shown at 29. At the other end thereof the carriage 27 issupported at each side thereof by arms 30, 30, extending outward fromthe carriage and having at their outer extremities split bearingsreceiving the opposite rounded sleeve-like portions of a quill 30ahaving a square hole therethrough, the said quill fitting, and beingadapted to slide upon, a squared shaft extending longitudinally of themechanism. Each squared shaft 31 is supported at its ends in fixedbearings 32, 32.

A pair of guide and presser-rolls 33, 33, is provided in connection withcarriage 27, such rolls being located at front and rear, respectively,of the path of the fleece as it is delivered from the distributingapron. The journals of the said rolls work in vertical slots 34, 34, inbrackets 35 attached to the carriage, only one of such brackets beingshown.

Traversing movements in the direction of the length of the distributingapron are communicated to the carriage 27 of such apron by means of -arod 36 extending crosswise of the machine and working in vertical slots37 formed in brackets, one of which is shown at 38, fixed to theopposite sides of such carriage, the said rod being attached at each endthereof to a carrying sprocketchain 39 passing around sprocket-wheels40, 40, on cross-shafts 41, 42, mounted in bearings provided inconnection with the lower guide-rails 29. Movement of rotation iscommunicated to shaft 42, for the purpose of actuating the said chains,by gearing 43, 44, connecting such shaft with a cross-shaft 45 that isdriven by means of a sprocketwheel 46 thereon, a sprocket-chain 47, anda sprocket-wheel 48 rotating in unison with the doffer-cylinder 2.

For the purpose of causing the compensating-apron to transversesimultaneously with the distributing-apron, the carriage 27 of thedistributingapron has attached thereto a chain-anchor 49, and an endlesssprocket-chain 50, mounted upon sprocketwheels 51, 51, that are carriedby the carriage 23 of the compensating-apron, has the said chain-anchormade fast thereto at one point, a second chain-anchor, designated 52,carried by the stand 12 on framework 11, being made fast to thesprocket-chain at another point. In this instance, the sprocketwheels51, 51, are supported by the journals of the supporting-rolls 22, 22, ofthe compensating-apron, and are capable of turning loosely thereon. thechain-anchor 49 partakes of the movement of the carriage 27 of thedistributing-4 apron, but chain-anchor 52 is stationary. ith thisarrangement, which is duplicated at the side of the mechanism oppositethat shown in the drawings, when the carriage 27 of thedistributing-apron is moved in either direction, the chain-anchor 49acts through the sprocket-chain 50 to drag the carriage 23 of thecompensating-apron in the same direction, through one-half the distancetraveled by the carriage 27, and onehalf as fast.

For the purpose of causing the distributing-apron and compensating-apronto travel around their respective pairs of rolls, a sprocket-wheel 53 isfixed upon the shaft of the supporting-roll 7 of the delivery-apron 4. Asprocket-chain 54 passes around such sprocket-wheel and anothersprocket-wheel, 55, fixed upon a cross-shaft 56 located beyond thereceiver 21. Thereby rotary motion is transmitted to the saidcross-shaft. The latter has fixed thereon, at each end thereof, abevel-gear 57 meshing with a bevel-gear 58 fixed upon the correspondingsquared shaft 31, by which means the latter is rotated. Upon the quill30a, confined between the bearing-portions of the arms 30,

It will be perceived that 30, of carriage 27, is a bevel-gear 59 meshingWith a bevel-gear 60 upon the shaft 261 of one of the supporting-rolls26 of the distributing-apron. Thereby the said roll is rotated and therequired traveling movement of the said apron is secured. As thecarriage 27 reciprocates, the bevel-gear 59 is caused to slide along thesquared shaft. It therefore remains in engagement With the bevelgear 60,and hence the said shaft 261 and corresponding supporting-roll 26 arecontinuously rotated ata constant rate of speed in all positions of thesaid carriage. lThe traveling movement of the compensatingapron istransmitted thereto by means of a sprocket-Wheel 61 fixed upon shaft261, just mentioned, and a sprocket-chain 62 passing around the saidsprocket-Wheel 61 and also around another sprocket-Wheel, designated 63,mounted upon the opposite end of carriage 27. The driving-connections ofthe sprocket-chain communicate a constant speed thereto, correspondingWith that of the distributing-apron, and the direction of travel is thesame as in the case of such apron. The upper run of the sprocket-chain62 passes over a sprocket-Wheel 64 mounted upon the carriage 23 of thecompensating-apron, and under guide-sprockets 65, 65, Which also aremounted upon the carriage 23 at front and rear, respectively, ofsprocket-Wheel 64. The sprocket-Wheel 64 is connected by spurgears 66,67, with the adjacent supportingroll 22 of the compensating-apron 19, sothat movement of rotation communicated to such sprocket-Wheel Will betransmitted through the gearing 66, 67, to the said roll and thecompensating-apron, causing the latter to travel around itssupporting-rolls 22, 22, in the direction to deliver the fleece to thedistributing-apron. lVhen the aprons are traversing away from theGarnett machine the greater and more rapid traverse of the carriage 27of the distributing-apron will increase the rate at which thesprocket-chain 62 will be caused to travel around the sprocket-Wheel 64.Consequently, the traveling movement of the compensating-apron aroundits supporting-rolls will be equal to the normal speed of sprocket-chain62, plus the difference in the speed of traverse of the carriages 23 and27. When the aprons are traversing from the left in the drawings towardthe Garnett machine, the higher rate of traverse of carriage 27 in suchdirection Will correspondingly diminish the rate at which sprocket-chain62 will pass around sprocket-wheel 64. Consequently the travelingmovement of the compensating-apron around its supporting-rolls Will beequal to the normal speed of sprocket-chain 62, minus the difference inthe speeds of traverse of the ttvo carriages. Briefly, thel rate oftravel of the compensating-apron 19 upon its supporting-rolls will beaccelerated during the traversing-movement which causes thedeliveryportion of such apron to approach the point at which the fleeceis delivered by the delivery-device, and will be retarded during thetraversing movement which causes the said delivery-portion to recedefrom such point.

The guide and presser-rolls 33, 33, are rotated positively by means of asprocket-Wheel 68 fixed on shaft 261, a sprocket-chain 69, and asprocket-Wheel 70 fixed on the shaft together by spur-gears 71, 71, toturn in unison.

It Will be perceived that the illustrated embodiment of the invention ischaracterized by the employment, in connection with a delivery-devicefor the fleece from a liberpreparing machine, of tivo endless aprons orlattices Which extend horizontally, and the first of which receives thefleece from the said delivery-device and delivers it to the second,Which delivers it to the receiver. The first apron, previously termedherein the compensating-apron, supports and takes care of the portion offleece intermediate the delivery-device and the second apron, (whichlast has previously been termed herein the distributing apron). A bodilytraversing movement communicated to the second apron or latticedistributes the fleece upon the receiver. The fleece is supported by thetop surface of the rst e. compensating) apron from the point at which itis received upon such surface to the point at Which it leaves suchapron, and it is supported by the horizontal top surface of the seconde. distributing) apron from the point at Which it is received thereuponto the point atl Which it leaves such apron in being delivered to thereceiver. The length of fleece supported by the tWo aprons is sufficientto permit movement of the second (or distributing) apron to therespective extremes of its traverse Without injury to the fleece. Thefirst (or compensating) apron is traversed simultaneously with thesecond (or distributing) apron, and in the same direction With thelatter, the traversing movement of the first (or compensating) apron inunison With the second (or distributing) apron in one direction beingproportioned to give out length of fleece sufficient to accommodate therequired movement of the second apron in that direction in distributingthe fleece, andthe movement of the first apron in the opposite directionin unison with the returning traversing movement of the second apronbeing properly proportioned to take up the slack in the fleece WhichWould result from such returning movement. As the traversing movement ofthe tWo aprons carries the delivery-point of the first apron toward thepoint at which the fleece leaves the deliverydevice the speed of thesaid apron in traveling around its supporting-rolls is increased sol ico

so as to prevent the fleece from piling up upon itself on the apron, andalso so as to deliver the fleece more rapidly to the second apron, whichat this time is traversing in a direction tending to draw forward thefleece faster. As the aprons traverse in the reverse direction, so thatthe delivery point of the first apron is carried away from the point atwhich the fleece is supplied by the delivery-device, the speed of thefirst apron is decreased so as not to draw the fleece forward fasterthan it is supplied thereto, and also because the more rapid traversingmovement of the second apron in the same direction occasions a tendencyof the fleece to pile up upon the second apron.

As other constructions and arrangements of delivery-devices may beemployed for supplying the fleece to the compensating and distributingaprons, and as other means for actuating the said aprons may in somecases be employed, and other changes may be made in the constructionwithout necessarily involving a departure from the main principlesinvolved in the invention, I do not hereby limit myself to the specificconstruction herein shown except in the case of the claims whereinspecific reference is made thereto. Nor do I limit myself to an exactlyhorizontal disposition of the compensating and distributing aprons.

I claim as my invention l. In lap-forming mechanism, the combinationwith a delivery-device for the fleece, and a receiver on which thefleece is laid into a lap, of a distributing apron, and a traversingcompensating apron intermediate the deliverydevice and distributingapron, which in each traverse of the distributing apron alternatelytakes up the slack and pays out the fleece.

2. In lap-forming mechanism, the combination with a delivery-device forthe fleece, and a receiver on which the fleece is laid into a lap, or ahorizontal, or substantially horizontal, traversing distributing-apron,and a similarly-disposed compensating-apron intermediate the saiddelivery device and said distributing-apron, which in each traverse ofthe distributing apron alternately takes up the slack and pays out thefleece.

8. In a lap-forming mechanism, the combination with a delivery devicefor the fleece, and a receiver on which the fleece is laid into a lap,-of a distributing apron, means for traversing said apron to distributethe fleece to form a lap, a compensating apron, and means for traversingthe same simultaneously with the distributing apron and in the samedirection but through a shorter distance and at less speed.

4. In lap-forming mechanism, the combination with a delivery-device forthe fleece, and a receiver on which the fleece is laid into a lap, of atraversing horizontal distributing apron, and a similarly-disposedcompensating apron operating diierentially to control the fleece, andwhich in each traverse of the distributing apron alternately takes upthe slack and pays out the fleece.

5. The combination with a fleece-deliverydevice, of a carriage, adistributing apron supported thereby, a second carriage, a coinpensatingapron supported thereby, and operating connections producing traversingmovements of the respective carriages in the ratio of two and one.

6. The combination with a fleece-deliverydevice, of a carriage, adistributing apron supported thereby, a second carriage, a compensatingapron supported thereby, and connections between such carriagestransmitting traversing movements from one to the other thereof in theratio of two and one.

7 The combination with a fleece-delivery device, of a carriage, adistributing apron supported thereby, a second carriage, a compensatingapron supported thereby, and means for transmitting differentialmovement from one carriage to the other comprising a flexible connectorattached at one point to a fixed abutment and at an opposite point tothe first carriage and passing intermediately in a bend or bight arounda guide on the other carriage.

8. The combination with a fleece-delivery device, of a carriage, acompensating apron supported thereby, a second carriage, a distributingapron supported thereby, and means for transmitting differentialmovement from one carriage to the other comprising a flexible connectorattached at one point to a suitable abutment, passing thence in oppositedirections around guides on the carriage first mentioned, and thenconnected to the second carriage.

9. The combination with a fleece-delivery device, of a fleece-supportingand compensating carriage, a fleecedistributing carriage, the saidcarriages respectively having means for promoting the advance of thefleece and means for transmitting differential movement from onecarriage to the other comprising a flexible connector having attachmentto a suitable abutment and passing thence around a guide on the carriagefirstmentioned and then connected to the second carriage.

10. The combination with a fleece-delivery device, of afleece-supporting and compensating carriage, a fleecedistributingcarriage, the said carriages respectively having means for promoting theadvance of the fleece and means for transmitting differential movementfrom one carriage to the other comprising a flexible connector havingattachment to a suitable abutment and passing thence in oppositedirections around spacedapart guides on the carriage first-mentioned andthen connected to the second carriage.

1l. In combination, a fieece-delivery device, an apron receiving theieece therefrom, a carriage supporting the said apron, a second apronreceiving the fleece from the rst apron, a carriage supportinff thesecond apron, means for causing differential traverse of such carriages,means for causing the second apron to travel around its supports on thesecond carriage, and means to cause the first apron to travel around itsown supports at an increased speed during the traverse in one directionand at a decreased speed during the traverse in the other direction.

l2. In combination, a iieece-delivery device, an apron receiving thefleece therefrom, a carriage supporting the said apron,

a second apron receiving the fleece from the first apron, a carriagesupporting the second apron, means for causing differential traverse ofsuch carriages, means for driving the first apron, comprising an endlessflexible driver passing around a wheel on the rst carriage, said wheelbeing in operative connection with the said apron, guides on the secondcarriage around which the endless driver passes, and means for drivingthe second apron and said endless driver.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. T. SCRIBNER. Witnesses:

GEORGE F. MILLER, MARGARET CHRYSTAL.

